Reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions chemically convert hazardous contaminants to nonhazardous or less toxic compounds that are more stable, less mobile, and/or inert. Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one compound to another. Specifically, one reactant is oxidized (loses electrons) and one is reduced (gains electrons). The oxidizing agents most commonly used for treatment of hazardous contaminants are ozone, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide.
Ozone is formed naturally in the atmosphere, as a colorless gas having a very pungent odor. Ozone, chemically, is the triatomic, allotropic form of oxygen having the chemical symbol O3 and a molecular weight of 47.9982. These three oxygen atoms form a relatively unstable, highly oxidative molecule that serves as a strong oxidant for many commercial and industrial applications. The chemical and resonance structures of ozone are shown below:
Each ozone resonance is composed of one single bond and one double bond. The single bond is analogous to peroxide bonds, which are rather weak and lead to the formation of free radicals. The double bond is analogous to molecular oxygen (O2), which is strongly bond and rather unreactive.
The interconversion between the two resonance structures above is so rapid that the observed ozone structure is a blend of the two resonance structures (below). Consequently, the strength of the two oxygen to oxygen bonds can be considered equal, each being 1.5 in order.

Ozone is a potent and effective agent for at least the partial oxidation of simple ions and species containing multiple bonds. It is used commercially in potable and non-potable water treatment, and as an industrial oxidant. Ozone acts by direct or indirect oxidation and by ozonolysis. In some cases, such reactions are catalytic. The considerable oxidizing power of ozone and the formation of molecular oxygen as a by-product make ozone a first choice for oxidation or disinfection. Ozone oxidation offers at least the following advantages over its chemical alternatives:                Ozone can be generated on-site;        Ozone is one of the most active, readily available oxidizing agents;        Ozone rapidly decomposes to oxygen leaving no traces;        Reactions do not produce toxic halogenated compounds;        Ozone acts more rapidly, and more completely than do other common disinfecting agents; and        Ozone reacts swiftly and effectively on all strains of viruses.        
Ozone has the disadvantage of not always being as fast or efficient as other oxidants.
For more complete and efficient oxidation, the addition of H2O2, use of UV radiation, and/or work at high pH are often used along with ozone in advanced oxidation processes. These components work by degrading the substrate to fragments that are more susceptible to ozone attack, oxidizing the substrate in reaction mechanisms not available to ozone, and by helping to create other reactive species such as HO that have unique oxidation mechanisms. While these other agents and conditions are effective in improving ozone oxidation, there is still a need in the art for a method and means of accelerating the ozone oxidation reaction.
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a method and means of improving the properties of ozone as an oxidant.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a means of treating wastewater using ozone as an oxidant.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a means of purifying water using ozone as an oxidant.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to use iron as a catalyst in ozone oxidation.
These and other objectives will become clear from the foregoing detailed description.